On Monday 31st,TheSun UK broke out the news on Amy Winehouse’s first posthumous album, titled Lioness: Hidden Treasures. The album is said to feature 12 unreleased songs that Amy was working on before her tragic death.
The album will be released on Dec. 5th.
Lioness: Hidden Treasures includes a track recorded while the troubled star was under the influence of heroin.
The new Amy Winehouse x Nas song, “Like Smoke” which posthumously fulfills the late singer’s wish to collaborate with her friend “Mr. Jones”, is the lead single of It’s a gorgeous retro-soul track, in typical Winehouse style and produced by Salaam Remi back in 2008.Just listened to the lead single off the album.Here's Nas rhymes:
“…like a polygamist with a twist, will I marry again, maybe, I guess….”
“I be out in London, Camden, hunting for the answers why the God take away the homie. I can’t say that I’m a firm believer that we all meet up in eternity. Just hope the big man, show me some courtesy….“
Salaam Remi,who produced most of the tracks spoke on Amy’s legacy.
“When I listened back you would hear some of the conversations in between — that was emotional. It has been hard, but it has also been an amazing thing. Amy was a gifted girl. I believe she has left something beyond her years. She has put a body of work together that will inspire an unborn generation.”Here's the track list and SHOWBIZ Editor Gordon Smart gives his verdict on Amy Winehouse's posthumous album.
1. OUR DAY WILL COME (Reggae Version): Re-working of classic '60s doo-wop song produced by Salaam Remi. Recorded May 2002.
2. BETWEEN THE CHEATS: New Amy composition recorded in London in May 2008 for potential inclusion on album three, produced by Salaam Remi.
3. TEARS DRY: First written by Amy as a ballad, this is the original version she recorded in November 2005 in Miami with Salaam. The later up-tempo version appears on Back To Black.
4. WAKE UP ALONE: The first song recorded for the Back To Black sessions. This is the one-take demo recorded in March 2006 by Paul O'Duffy.
5. WILL YOU STILL LOVE ME TOMORROW: Beautiful reading of the Carole King-written Shirelles classic. Produced by Mark Ronson and featuring the Dap Kings with string arrangements by Chris Elliott. Recorded in September 2004.
6. VALERIE: One of Amy's jukebox favourites, the original slower tempo version of the Mark Ronson-produced post-Back To Black single. Recorded in December 2006.
7. LIKE SMOKE featuring Nas: Amy and Nas became good friends after Amy name-checked the New York rapper on Back To Black's Me & Mr Jones. Like Smoke is Amy finally doing a song with one of her favourite artists. Produced by Salaam Remi. Recorded in May 2008.
8. THE GIRL FROM IPANEMA: The first song 18-year-old Amy sang when she went to Miami to record with Salaam. He remarked that "the way she re-interpreted this bossa nova classic made me realise I was dealing with a very special talent. Her approach to the song was so young and fresh, it inspired the rest of our sessions". Recorded in May 2002.
9. HALFTIME: Amy had talked to Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson of the Roots about working together. Amy and Salaam worked on Half-time since the Frank sessions. The result is beautiful. Recorded in August 2002.
10. BEST FRIENDS: Frank-era live set opener produced by Salaam Remi. Probably the first song that early Amy fans would have heard live. Recorded in February 2003.
11. BODY & SOUL with Tony Bennett: Cover of '30s jazz standard with hero Tony Bennett. Recorded at Abbey Road Studios London in March 2011 and produced by Phil Ramone. Amy's final studio recording.
12. A SONG FOR YOU: Heartbreaking and emotional version of the classic made famous by Donny Hathaway, Amy's favourite artist. The song was recorded in one take, just Amy and her guitar, at her home during spring 2009 as she battled her demons. Produced by Salaam Remi.
g.smart@the-sun.co.uk
